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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 16, 2025

Task Interruption and Resumption Paradigm for Testing the Activation and Pursuit of an Abstract Thinking Goal

Task Interruption and Resumption Paradigm for Testing the Activation and Pursuit of an Abstract Thinking Goal

Published on: April 18, 2017

Improv as cognitive activity.

Kristin R Krueger¹, Jeffrey P Winer², Daniel C Lattimore³

¹Rush Institute for Healthy Aging, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, United States.

Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience

|April 4, 2025

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Improvisational theater (improv) exercises show promise as a novel cognitive activity for older adults. This study establishes the feasibility of using improv for cognitive training, paving the way for future clinical trials.

Keywords:

aging attention cognitive activity healthy aging improv theater exercises memory

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Area of Science:

Gerontology
Cognitive Neuroscience
Arts and Health

Background:

Limited cognitive activity programs exist for aging research and clinical trials.
Improvisational theater (improv) is emerging as a potential intervention to enhance the lives of older adults.
Existing cognitive training programs have limitations, prompting exploration of novel approaches like improv.

Purpose of the Study:

To establish the feasibility of developing a cognitive training program based on improv exercises.
To assess the potential of improv to engage various cognitive abilities in older adults.
To lay the groundwork for future clinical trials investigating improv's impact on cognitive function.

Main Methods:

13 neuropsychologists and trainees participated in 15 improv exercises.
Participants rated each exercise's engagement of 20 distinct cognitive abilities/subdomains.
Analysis focused on mean ratings to map exercises to cognitive subdomains, providing proof of concept.

Main Results:

Improv exercises were rated by experts as engaging cognitive processes.
Consensus was found among raters regarding specific cognitive abilities engaged by the exercises.
Participant ratings aligned with the researchers' initial cognitive subdomain groupings.

Conclusions:

This study provides initial evidence for the construct validity of improv exercises as a cognitive activity.
Improv exercises can be considered for development into a cognitive training program.
Further clinical trials are warranted to determine improv's influence on older adults' cognitive function.